Shallow water diving faceplate



Dec. '15, 1942. R. B. COMSTOCK 2,304,798

SHALLOW WATER DIVING FACE PLATE Filed Oct. 8.1940

INVENTOR BY RIGHARD B. COMSTOOK ATTOR Y Patented Dec. 15, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlce 3 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) This invention relates to a divers mask, and has for ,an object to provide a diving helmet or hood in the form of ,a mask adapted to be placed against the face of the wearer and have watertight connection therewith, the mask being held in position by suitable means and having an inlet ,or hose connection for fresh air, preferably at the top thereof, and having an outlet for foul air, preferably at the bottom thereof, so that it may also dispose of any leakage or condensation, thus doing away with the necessity of using the ordinary divers helmet which entirely enclosed the head and has .to be attached to a suit, and further permitting the diver to turn his head readily in every direction without inconvenience.

A further object of this invention is to provide a divers mask especially intended for shallow under-water work as well as for use in spaces or mediums devoid of respirable air, which is very simple in construction and may be readily applied or removed and which is extremely light in weight.

A further object of this invention is to provide a divers mask wherein the foul air escape is so located at the bottom that any leakage will auto- I matically dispose itself through the foul air escape, thereby avoiding any reduction in the volume of fresh air available to the diver.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the divers mask of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View on line 2--2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view showing the mask mounted in operative position on the face of a diver.

There is shown at Ill the mask of this invention, including a plate H, preferably of cast aluminum or of a suitable molded plastic material, shaped as shown, so as to more or less conform to the contour of the face, and provided in its upper portion with an opening l2 closed by a pane d3 of transparent material secured thereto as by stud screws I4 and provided with gaskets I5 so as to make the same substantially leakproof. glass, but would preferably be of transparent plastic waterproof material, which will not easily break as glass breaks.

The aluminum plate H is provided with a rearwardly extending flange l6 having a recessed The transparent pane l3 may be of e groove H extending thereabout. Secured to this flange In about the groove I 'l are half a dozen, more or less, layers of sponge rubber l8. Extending through the top of the flange I6 is a nipple 20 to which may be secured a flexible hose 2|, the other end of which may be connected to a compressed air tank, or other suitable source of supply of fresh air. This nipple 20 is connected to a passage 22 leading to an air chute 23 which, as shown, consists of a one-way valve formed by a flexible flap 24 held in position against the upper inside of the flange I6 by a stud screw 25, thus permitting fresh air from the hose 2| to enter into the space between the inside of the mask Ill and the wearers face 26, but preventing foul air from escaping therethough. The foul air instead makes its exit through either or both of the foul air outlets 2! provided on opposite sides of the bottom of flange l6 to which are connected conventional rubber flutter valves 28. These valves 28 permit foul air from the outlets 21 to pass therethrough but do not permit any water to enter in an opposite direction.

Also secured in the flange l6 but not penetrating therethrough are a plurality of studs 30, 3| and 32, providing head strap attachments, the studs 3! being connected by a band 33 and the studs 32 being similarly connected by a band 34 for securing the webbing 35 and 36 of a head strap harness thereto. 1

In operation, the mask I0 is placed against the face 26 of a diver with the layers of sponge rubber I8 compressing more or less, as necessary, so as to make a water-tight connection between the divers face and the mask, the head strap harness 36 being fastened to the stud 30 so as to firmly hold the mask in position. With a suitable source of fresh air connected to the other end of the hose 2!, the diver may descend into shallow Water a limited distance, such as for cleaning the bottoms and drains of swimming pools or making inspection and repairs to the bottom of a ship or vessel, the hose 2| being of a suitable length, possibly fifty feet or more, to allow the diver a suitable amount of freedom in his motion under water, even though he may not travel vertically downward a great distance.

Other modifications and changes in the number and arrangement of the parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the nature of the invention, within the scope of what is hereinafter claimed.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and/or used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed is:

1. A divers mask formed of a sheet of substantially rigid material, said sheet having an inwardly extending flange around its perimeter, a groove recessed into the edge of said inwardly extending flange, and a sponge rubber gasket bridging said groove and attached along the outer edges only of said groove and bearing against the face of the wearer, means extending from said flange engaging over the head of the wearer for holding the mask pressed against the face of the wearer, one-way means for supplying air to the space enclosed within the mask and one-way 7 through said flange to said trough, and a one-way flutter valve connected to said outlet.

2. A divers mask formed of a sheet of substantially ,rigid material, said sheet having an inwardly extending flange around its perimeter, a groove formed in the edge of said inwardly extending flange, and a sponge rubber gasket bridging said groove and attached along the outer edges only of said groove and bearing against the face of the wearer, means extending from said flange engaging over the head of the wearer for holding the mask pressed against the face of the wearer, one-way means for supplying air to the space enclosed within the mask, one-way tached to said mask through the top of said flange, and a one-way valve attached to the inside of said flange adjacent said nipple permitting air to travel only from said nipple to the enclosed space.

3. A divers mask formed of a sheet of substantially rigid material, said sheet having an inwardly extending flange around its perimeter, a groove formed in the edge of said inwardly extending flange, and a sponge rubber gasket bridging said groove and attached along the outer edges only of said groove and bearing against the face of the wearer, means extending from said flange engaging over the head of the wearer for holding the mask pressed against the face of the wearer, one-way means for supplying air to the space enclosed within the mask, one-way means for removing the foul air and any leakage and condensation therefrom, said foul air leakage and condensation one-way means comprising a trough formed at the bottom of said flange, an outlet extending through said flange to said trough, and a one-way flutter'valve connected to said outlet. I

RICHARD B. COMSTOCK. 

